The Secret Files of Spartan-234
by GirlInTheMask
Summary: A Spartan's personal story of how she deals with the invasion of her planet, cruel treatment at the hands of the Alien Covenant, her subsequent rescue by UNSC, and the role she comes to play both in the life of Master Chief and the fate of the galaxy itself.
1. File 1

_Disclaimer: I own nothing of "Halo." All belongs to 343. Any unfamiliar characters who appear here, however, are mine._

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**The Secret Files of Spartan-234**

File 1

To the reader who has opened the first of this series of files, whoever you may be, allow me, the author, to offer a few choice words: Welcome. Nice of you to drop by. Whether by curiosity, or purely by accident, you've come upon some rather significant records. Then again, that might just be my opinion. Still, as for the files themselves, don't think of them as secret in the sense of containing "dirty little secrets" or anything of the sort, but rather as a personal account of the events recorded here. Before I start though, let me warn you that if you're looking for one of those mind-blowing, reality-bending notions I previously mentioned, or condemning information regarding an enemy in a war I've never heard of, you won't find either here. What I can guarantee you'll find though, is the truth, and nothing but the truth. I'm not going to take the liberty of exaggerating bits and pieces here and there like so many others probably would do for the sake of excitement. Like the saying goes, sometimes truth is stranger than fiction. While my memory may not be perfect, I will do the best I can to honestly relate every important part of the story, no matter how you, the reader, might perceive it. But maybe I'm getting a bit ahead of myself. No matter what landed you in the spot you're in now, if you're willing to read on, let's begin.

First off, I think it's important that I introduce myself. My name is Helena Rosalind Carlisle, Special Stealth Soldier for the United Nations Space Command, Service Number 67053-69710, Spartan Number 234. Yep, you guessed right. The author of these files is Spartan-234 herself. Now, before you ask why I'm writing down my own story, continue reading, because you'll soon find out. But, as with most stories, I think it would be best if we started at the beginning. I entered the world on July 2, 2540 (according to the Military Calendar). And when I say "the world," I mean the one I grew up on. I'm now twenty years old as I write this, just to let you know. If I sound mature for my age, then the only explanation I can offer is that what I've seen and experienced have made me grow up faster than most. Who knows? There's probably a good chance that, by the time you're reading this, I've long since died.

My father, Troy Carlisle, was a UNSC Corporal, who, as a cadet, was credited with saving two dozen of his fellow men and women when their school was invaded by Insurrectionists. My mother, Lenore O'Shaughnessy, was a Petty Officer. My parents didn't marry until they were both in their thirties, as they were both dedicated to their military work. By the time I was born, my dad was already forty years old, and still young (in his words at least). I was their third and last child, and the only girl. Not as bad as you'd think though, because, to be perfectly honest, I couldn't ask for a better pair of big brothers. The first, Curt, was six years older than me. The other, Parker, was three years older. I can't tell you now if they've got positions in the UNSC, or even if they're still alive as I write this, because both revelations would only spoil the story.

As for my planet, I can tell you that even though I, one of her inhabitants, am still alive, my home world has long since died a violent death at the hands of the cruelest aggressors. Even now, as I write, UNSC hasn't completely recovered from the loss. The world I grew up on, now famous among my elders and superiors, was called Reach, and served as the battlefield of one of the most devastating fights of the Human-Covenant War. I heard not too long ago that attempts were being made to salvage and even revive what little was left. But even though it's been years since I last set foot on it, I haven't returned. Why? Because I know that even if those attempts were successful, it wouldn't be the same.

My native city of New Alexandria, which was burned to the ground, wouldn't be the same. Neither the rolling, evergreen hills and mountains which I always woke up to. And especially not the relationships with all those people I knew and loved, who died. Oh, I have dreams about it every now and then, of how happy and fortunate I was, how lucky I was to be innocent. Yet I also dream about the battle that overtook my city, about all the unforgettable sights and sounds I saw and heard. It's almost funny. It seems like no matter how much I'd like to forget, part of me still wants to remember all the good memories along with the bad, both of which I guess will forever be a part of me.

But I think the best one to choose in order to really begin my story would be not too long after my twelfth birthday. I remember it like it was yesterday (cliché saying, I know, but it's the best way to describe it). I was knee-deep, literally, in a bitter conflict in which the odds were against my side, clearly in favor of the enemy's. Both of us were after a great and powerful artifact located only a short distance from where I stood. I was hiding in the shrubbery and green afforded to me in my environment, surrounded by numerous tall trees, most of which soared up to five times my own height. But I knew I couldn't hide for long. The enemy at any moment could come my way, and two of my comrades had recently been ambushed. Now it was all up to me to complete the mission, and the ones after me had knowledge of my special skills. I remember how my pulse nervously beat throughout my body, how sweat began to form on my forehead, and how the blood eased out of the fresh wounds I'd sustained.

But despite my age, my lesser experience, and the odds being stacked against me, I was determined that they would soon be tipped in my favor. I was going to remind these enemy soldiers just who they were dealing with. If they wanted to win this fight, they were going to have to go through me, whether on the ground, or from above. Though I knew they were headed in my direction, I decided to put the idea that had just emerged in my head to execution. Using every ounce of my strength, I took hold of the tree in front of me with both hands, and began my ascent up the strong trunk. After a few rough inches upward, I jumped right to the nearest branch before pulling myself up and then grabbing hold of the branch above me. Fortunately, it was strong enough for me to stand on, and, bless my luck, there was a small alcove inside the trunk in which I could hide. I quickly sat down and eased back in as far as I could, and not a moment too soon, because as I did, I heard the running footsteps of those pursuing me.

When they all stopped, I leaned my head out minimum safe distance, and widened my eyes to see that they'd stopped directly below my spot. Immediately, both fear and excitement struck me at once. Fear that all of my enemies had gathered underneath the tree, outnumbering me three to one. I watched for as long as I could while they looked every way except up – again, bless my luck – and listened as they wondered aloud where I could have possibly gone. Excitement, on the other hand, at knowing that I was now one step ahead of them, whether they knew it or not, and whether they liked it or not. But I also knew I couldn't stay where I was forever, otherwise I'd be discovered. Taking hold of my magnum from its holster, I slowly and quietly stood up, looked down on the heads of the enemy soldiers, swiftly put my fear aside, and jumped.

I began firing even before I hit the ground. The moment I took my leap, I shot at the heads of two of my opponents, both of which quickly fell to the leafy forest floor. As soon as I landed, I grabbed the outstretched arm of the third, rammed my elbow as hard as I could into his shoulder, and spun before delivering a kick that sent him down. Wasting no time, I then took off running at top speed, my magnum still firmly in my hand should one of my adversaries try to shoot me down. As I felt the wind whip past me and heard the otherwise gentle sound of leaves making their way to the ground, my eyes remained locked on the path ahead of me, which only seemed to be made of forest after forest. Even so, I continued to hurry as fast as my legs would allow, for not only could one or more of my enemies still be after me, but I also knew I was close to the artifact's location.

And I was right. Before long, my eyes widened again as I laid eyes on it at the edge of an open field, beyond which lay a cliff to a lake below. In spite of everything that had just happened, all I knew now was that if I could take up this artifact, my team would win the day. As I continued to head toward it, I stretched my arm out and opened my hand, ready to snatch it up in my grasp. I overestimated my chances, because just as I was inches from grabbing it, I felt a powerful hit in my back, causing me to fall head first to the ground below. There, I lay in the dirt, my head almost reeling yet allowing me to wonder why this had to happen, when I felt a hand grab my shoulder, and then flip me over on my back. The face that greeted me was that of the adversary I had felled just moments ago, and as glorious victory donned itself on his face, it seemed that now was his turn to revel in the step ahead he'd achieved.

"Your trick may have worked back there," he said, letting me feel his breath on my face, "But even you can't outrun a gun!"

He pressed his magnum into my side, causing me to let out a choking sound, both from the force of his weapon, and from knowing what he was going to do.

"I guess I win again huh?" he asked. And though I hesitated at first, I slowly found myself agreeing with him. He had me pinned down, ready to fire his weapon, and all I could do was beg for mercy. But despite everything that had just happened, despite all of our efforts against each other, knowing well who my opponent was, as well as what was coming, instead of letting a frown of loss cross my lips, I couldn't help but replace it with a slow smile.

"Maybe," I replied, "But, are you really going to shoot your own sister?"

Seconds that felt like hours went on as we continued to stare at each other as if that alone could throw the other off. I mentally pressed him further with each passing moment, daring him to go through with his planned course of action, my smile never once relenting. And eventually, either by that or a decision of his own, the young man above me put away his magnum, never taking his own eyes off me.

"No," he replied, "I'm gonna do this!" Before I could react in any way or say anything else, his hands were on me, making me scream not in terror, but in delight. And while my brother Parker is "torturing" me, allow me to address your concerns. Your probably thinking by now that everything I mentioned earlier was made up, meaning I broke my promise. Well, I gave you my word to be honest. I did and I didn't make it up, making you both right and wrong. My enemies were my brother and his two friends from school, the weapons were filled with paint rather than live ammo, the artifact was a tall flag, and the conflict itself was only the attempt to get it before the other team could.

Now, to answer your question as to why I referred to all three as I did, let me assure you I have a valid explanation. Growing up, I attended what would be considered an "average" school. Average in most ways that is, except for the things added to the subjects, especially physical education. Reach was a significant planet to UNSC, and most of its population was made up of military men and women, so it was natural that we kids as soon as we turned six received basic training. By which, I mean martial arts moves that could pin down an enemy, playing games that mimicked military missions, even learning how to handle weapons, with an adult present of course. When one turned eleven, one could learn these things and more on an advanced level if they wished. I was one of those individuals. But I'll wait for a more appropriate time to explain why.

Parker continued to tickle me while I tried to fend him off, somewhat disappointed despite my laughter that he knew and was taking advantage of one of my most crippling weaknesses. Still, against my better judgment, I continued to scream and laugh at the same time, until we heard the sounds of several footsteps making their way toward us. Both Parker – who by now was laughing too – and I looked up to see that both our teams had found us. My teammates, Ashleigh and Dana, friends of mine from school, were frowning, but I could tell they were trying not to smile at the scene in front of them.

Still attempting to get them to smile with my own, I finally managed to get on my knees and say, "It's all fine. Game over." I then looked over at my brother and his teammates, Brian and Luke, his own friends from school, and let my smile drop slightly at knowing how they would react to what I would say.

"You guys win," I said anyway. As I expected, Brian and Luke gave each other an immediate and triumphant high-five. I even watched as they turned to my friends and smile smugly as they crossed their arms.

"Looks like the guys win again," Brian said to Dana, his equally as dark-skinned sister.

"Yeah well we would have won if you hadn't ambushed us," Dana, always a bit impulsive, retorted bravely.

Luke shrugged his shoulders and replied, "Hey, those were the rules. You're shot, you're dead."

"Whatever," Ashleigh suddenly spoke up, "We do this all the time at school anyway. Look, can't we ever play a game that, doesn't involve killing people?"

"Like what?" Luke asked as he raised his eyebrows in curiosity.

"Um, I don't know," she replied at first, "Maybe…maybe, chess?"

"No way, _no_ way!" Luke immediately protested while Ashleigh crossed her arms and raised her eyebrows suspiciously. I couldn't help but wonder if she was thinking the same thing as I was. Not only did Luke think of chess as boring, but the last time Ashleigh challenged him to a game after we caught the flag that day, he accepted, no doubt thinking it would be easy, only to lose all of his important pieces in less than five minutes at the hands of one of the smartest girls on Reach, at least as far as Dana and I were concerned. What I did know for sure now was that Luke was wise to refuse.

"Come on guys," Parker then said, "Can't we all be good sports about this?"

"I thought we were being good sports," Brian replied, "We're all alive aren't we?"

"I thought you shot us," Dana reminded him, "After all, you're shot, you're dead, right?"

No one spoke after that. For all I knew, like me, no one else knew what to say. Before I knew it though, one after another, all of us soon broke out into laughter, whether in reaction to what Dana said, or the fact that we were all having a good time. In fact, I don't think I can remember another time like that, or at least, one like it right before Reach… Well, we continued to laugh until we heard an older voice, one I immediately recognized, behind us say, "Alright guys, break it up."

Both Parker and I turned our heads to see my other brother, Curt, making his way up the hill toward us. He smiled at Parker, who was now holding the flag in his hands, and asked, "Let me guess, your team won again?"

"And proud of it," Parker replied as he crossed his arms in a bit of a prideful manner. I couldn't help but smirk and roll my eyes, but when I looked at Curt again, while I still saw the amusement on his face, I also detected some growing concern.

"Well you can be proud of it on the way home," he said, "Mom and Dad sent me to find you."

"You mean, it's almost five?" Brian asked. As if to offer a reply, all of us looked up to the cloudy sky I just then noticed was getting somewhat dark, as soon as we heard what sounded like multiple jet engines. Just then, we all found ourselves looking at what I instantly knew to be pelican ships. I had seen them, and even bigger ships belonging to the UNSC, fly over New Alexandria throughout my childhood, and though I'd never been inside one, I always wondered what it would be like to actually be ride in one. Not today, because these pelicans had been flying over the city at the same hour for almost every day now, signaling to the citizens below that their curfew was approaching. Everyone had to be home by five in the evening, as a part of taking precautions against the forces encroaching on us.

"Sounds like it," Dana replied to her brother as the pelicans flew further away.

"Yeah," Ashleigh nodded a bit nervously in agreement, "I was gonna say we'd better be going."

"Well, we should at least not anger our parents," Luke said as he stretched his arms, "I'll see you all later." He then waved his goodbyes and then turned in the direction of his home, while Ashleigh said goodbye to me and Dana, and then went the opposite way, toward the spot where her parents were left waiting. Parker and I then watched as Brian and Dana went off together before we turned back to Curt, knowing now that it was our turn to leave. Neither of us moved though before feeling a few sprinkling drops of rain. Immediately I felt disappointed, because while I knew it was cloudy, I also knew we'd be sopping wet by the time we got home. Still, Curt quickly caught on to both the rain, and maybe also my own growing sense of urgency.

"Well come on," he said as he waved anxiously, "We better hurry if we want to beat the weather."

Both Parker and I nodded, and we quickly hurried after our brother down the hill, through the remaining greenery, fields, and spaces of forest, all of us intent on finding the street that would take us home. While we do that, let me offer an explanation, hopefully not a lengthy one, regarding my decision to further my military education. While I had a choice to go for a normal schooling, when I turned eleven, I took the option of learning more about the physical and intellectual capabilities of UNSC soldiers. Though I'm sure I have a dozen reasons, ones I can name and others I can't, I suppose one of the main reasons was because I was inspired by the stories my parents told me when I was younger. Stories about their days in service, about what they'd learned and experienced along with the achievements they made in spite of the hardships they were forced to endure. I found I wanted a taste of that heroism for myself. In fact, one of the coaches suggested I go to the academy to become a marine, but I ultimately chose not to. How could I if it meant leaving my family and friends? Leaving the games my friends and I almost always played with my brother and his friends at this point, even if they were just for fun? Maybe I wanted to be a hero, but I was still just a girl not yet in her teens. My mom told me afterward that I'd made a wise choice.

I hoped that same wisdom would serve both me and my brothers as we continued to hurry home in a desperate attempt to escape the rain. I instantly breathed a long-awaited sigh of relief the moment I saw the concrete road and adjoining sidewalks, because now I knew we weren't far from home. And I was right. After a few more yards of non-stop running, all three of us were finally able to breathe when we finally saw the front door of our old familiar house. Before any of us could punch in the security code or give our thumbprints to gain access, the door was opened for us by none other than our dad, who stood tall with a strong build, even at his age of fifty-two. He sported dark brown hair and imposing grey eyes, which Curt directly inherited, and a few scars here and there from injuries he'd sustained as a military man. Dad quickly rushed us inside before letting the door close again, and quickly addressed my oldest brother.

"About time you all got home," he said sternly, "I was about to go out in the rain and find you myself."

"Hey," Parker said as he took off his soaked-through jacket, "it's not even five yet."

"Doesn't matter," a feminine voice suddenly spoke behind us. In walked my mom, who was only a few inches shorter than my dad, and still retained a bit of youth in her face even though she was now fifty. Her still fully black hair fell to her shoulders, and her authoritative eyes were hazel in color. Parker took directly after her both in the looks department, and the humor, which he tended to exploit like crazy no matter where he was or what was going on around him.

Just in case you're wondering which one I looked like, I can say that I'm a mixture of both my parents. I'm definitely sure I got my height from my dad, because I was always the tallest girl my age in my school. I also inherited his brown hair, which stretches to my shoulders. My eyes though, are hazel like my mom's, which, even now, I don't know whether to regard as a compliment or a detriment. Either way, I was, and still am, happy to resemble both, even if it's only physically. As for their other, more untouchable qualities, I don't know if I'll ever acquire them for myself, either naturally, or through effort.

"When the UNSC imposes a rule," Mom continued to speak, "especially one I'd impose, you'd be wise to obey it."

"Let's just hope that those Covies don't drop in," I then heard Parker mutter.

Apparently, everyone else heard him too, because we all turned our heads to Dad the moment we heard his fist come down on the table near the door. "I would _not _talk like that if I were you young man!" he exclaimed at Parker, his eyes burning with both frustration and seriousness.

We all knew the cause of his behavior. "Covies" was Parker's term for the soldiers of the Alien Covenant, which the UNSC had been engaging in conflict with long before I was born, and this was our first recorded encounter with intelligent life other than ourselves. Why they seemed to be after humanity, at this point we didn't know for sure. All we learned at school was that they had invaded several colony planets, including Harvest and Circinius IV. The only major planet that had yet to be invaded was Earth, the original home planet for the human race, and the one planet we were not permitted to learn about. And based on calculations done by the Office of Naval Intelligence, there was a chance that Reach itself could also be invaded, making all of us inhabitants, military or civilian, to take all necessary precautions.

Being a former military man himself, my dad had valid reason to be concerned about everything he heard regarding this prospect. Still, Curt tried to bring down the heat emitting from him a degree or two. "Well, forgive me for saying so Dad but, Parker may have a point," he said, "I'd hope the enemy at least attempts to think reasonably, no matter how capable they are."

"That's all very nice son," Dad admitted in a calmer tone of voice, "But concerning how much damage has already been done, there's no reason to think it'll be any different this time."

"Hmm, you may be right," Curt sighed as he looked down in disappointment.

"And as long as they keeping fighting us," Dad added, "We'll continue to return the favor."

Curt nodded and attempted to smile as he laid his hand and Dad's shoulder. "So will I," he then said. And if I was smiling at all, that simple remark made any semblance of one drop. Just a few months ago, Curt had made his decision that he decided to go join the marines soon known, and he was met with mixed reception by all of us, especially me whether he knew it or not. Although he was old enough and I knew from the time I was little that he would make a good soldier for UNSC, something about him leaving all of us, with the too prevalent possibility of never returning, made my heartbeat painful. And now that he was mentioning it again, that, combined with the knowledge that the Covenant had been ruthless to any UNSC in their way, caused the pain to return, and with twice as much impact as before. I knew I couldn't stop him from leaving, but I also knew I couldn't keep my true thoughts to myself forever.

Feeling the need to say something, yet anything except thoughts regarding what was previously mentioned, I quickly said the first thing that came to mind, causing all eyes to turn to me. "But why would they want to attack Reach?" I asked, "We have tons of UNSC personnel and weaponry."

I then felt a hand on my shoulder, and turned to see that it was Mom. "That may be," she replied, "But not only might they have the same amount in both, but determination can combat any firepower we throw at them. I've seen it myself, with different enemies at least."

I said nothing else. I didn't doubt her words at all. And yet, she must have seen the concern that I myself was ignoring, because she wrapped her arm around my shoulder, and pulled me close to her side, making me smile at least halfway. Addressing not just me, but my brothers and dad as well, she then said, "But I see no need to worry prematurely."

"Well," Parker suddenly spoke up, "if I was in UNSC, I'd teach those aliens a thing or two about thinking twice." He pressed a fist he made hard into his left hand for emphasis, making both me and Curt chuckle slightly. But Mom and Dad still failed to see the humor in the situation.

"That's enough Parker," she reprimanded him. She then turned back to the rest of us and added, "In fact, I think it's time we changed the subject."

We all promptly agreed, even Parker, which I was immediately thankful for. As kids, if there was one thing we learned about Mom, it was that you didn't argue with her.

Before another two hours went by, the sky had grown completely dark, causing most of the city lights to be shut off. And before two more hours went by, we were all in bed. But while everyone else to my knowledge had long since fallen asleep, I myself couldn't seem to stay asleep, no matter how hard I tried. Whether it was because of the rain I could still hear pelting the roof outside, the unnerving conversation I had with my family earlier, or even a conversation of both, I woke up twice within the same hour. The second time, I went into a cycle of turning on the left side of the bed, then the right. But no matter how many times I tried, I couldn't fall back asleep. Instead, I laid on my back with my hands under my head, staring up at the ceiling with barely blinking eyes, and occasionally looking out the window, even though the blinds were almost completely closed.

I'm afraid I don't remember how much time passed since then. All I knew was that only a long, sleepless night awaited me, whether I liked it or not. The blackened room offered little to comfort me, but oddly enough, I was growing steadily used to the unsettling feelings. Suddenly though, my eyes widened and I turned my head to the door as soon as I heard what sounded like heavy footsteps going down the hall outside my room. My anxiety rose all the more when I saw a tall shadow through the opaque glass door. I knew though that it couldn't have been an intruder, because the house was well equipped for dealing with such problems. But knowing I wouldn't be falling back asleep anytime soon, that, along with the growing urgent need to find out what was going on, convinced me to climb out of bed, slowly walk toward the door, open it, and look ever so slightly down the hall to see who it was.

To my relief, it was someone I recognized. It was my dad, who was now standing at the end of the hall, letting out an exasperated sigh, and putting his head in his hand. Even from where I stood, and in the dimly lit area, I could see that something was wrong. Something, other than mere tiredness, was making Dad weary. And instantly, whether out of concern or the childlike need for excitement, I felt the desire to know exactly what. And so, after looking both left and right like one about to cross a busy street, and seeing no one to oppose me, I slowly and quietly stepped out of the safety of my room and into the hall. Then, after taking a slow breath to calm myself, I began tip-toeing down the hall in the direction I saw Dad go, never once looking back.

Now, you're probably guessing now that I have a thing for sneaking around, and, in keeping to my promise, I'll say you're right. For as long as I can remember, I had a deep fascination with the idea of going around places without being detected. No matter how many times I imagined going into missions involving stealth, or even translated those imaginings to real-life, it always thrilled me. I sometimes employed my talents, like today, when playing games of flag, either near home, or at school, and they almost always served me well. Even now, with the atmosphere heavy enough to make some weak in the knees, I couldn't help but smile knowing that I was on a mission – even if only I called it that – to find out what was bothering my dad so much.

Fortunately, I didn't have to wait long. After easing my way down a second hall, then a third, I finally spotted the closed door that led to the room my parents shared. But imagine my eye-widening surprise when I saw that I wasn't alone. Next to the door stood both of my brothers. Either I apparently wasn't the only one who had trouble sleeping, or they too saw Dad walking around alone in the halls outside their rooms. For a moment, I wondered if they'd wave me off as a way to tell me to turn back, like most big brothers who like to take care of business themselves would. But, instead, Parker waved at me to come forward. In spite of the situation at hand, I couldn't help but smile at the notion of my brothers valuing my involvement. So I hurried as quietly as I could to my own side of the door to join them.

Leaning myself against the wall, I asked them both, "What do you think's going on?"

"Shh!" Curt quieted me, "Listen!" I instantly closed my mouth, not only to obey Curt, but also to hide my surprise, since he was usually opposed to eavesdropping. Now I knew for sure that something heavy was going on, even before I heard one word either of my parents spoke inside the room.

"Okay," I suddenly heard Mom say, "Something's wrong. You might as well tell me."

"Might as well," Dad repeated in agreement, "For some reason I couldn't sleep. So I decided to go look and see if I got any messages from the guys." His comrades he meant, people he served alongside with during his days in UNSC.

"And…?" Mom asked, concerned. A heart-stopping silence followed for the next few seconds before Dad replied with an answer that made us all completely quiet if we hadn't already been before.

"Well, Lenore, there's some news from ONI. They're saying there's a real possibility that within the next few weeks, we could be facing real invasion from the Covenant, maybe even earlier than when they predicted."

Hearing those words not just from my dad, but in a tone that made him sound almost anxious, made my mouth fall open with disbelief. I looked at my brothers to see their reactions, but then I heard Mom speak up, and so turned back to the door.

"You're sure of this?" she asked, "You think we should wake the kids?"

"No," Dad replied in the negative, "We can wait till morning." He then let out a heavy sigh before he said something I immediately found puzzling. "You know, I just can't help but think that all of this might have to do with…" He trailed off, making my heart beat all the more nervously as I silently urged him to continue.

"With what?" Mom asked, doing it for me.

"Nothing," Dad replied. Another silence followed, though I thought I heard the faintest sound of Mom sitting down on the bed, most likely next to Dad, before I heard her say, "Well, 'nothing' can't prevent the inevitable. We're just going to have to wait and see what happens and do what UNSC tells us to do."

"You're right honey," Dad agreed, "I just, I just wish it didn't involve our kids this time."

"I know Troy," Mom said sadly. In fact, she sounded on the verge of tears. "Me too."

Following that, we heard nothing else, though I kept pressing my ear against the wall, desiring to hear more. Even so, I suddenly felt a hand on my shoulder, and turned to see Curt, who by now looked the most solemn I'd seen him all day. "Come on," he whispered, "We've heard enough, let's go."

Feeling a bit comfortable that he was now back to his usual self, I stood, and began following my brothers quietly back down the hall to our own rooms. But unlike before, where my eyes were concentrated on the path ahead of me, I hesitated, and then looked back for a moment or two at the door, longing to satisfy my anxiety. But reason pulled me back, causing me to turn back around, and catch up to Curt and Parker again.

All three of us walked further into the forbidding darkness silently together, but it wasn't long before I felt the need to say something. Turning toward Curt, who was usually the more serious one in situations like this, I asked, "So, the Covenant really is coming?"

"Guess so," I heard a voice on my right reply. I looked to see that it was Parker, who, to my surprise, looked about as grim as Curt. Now I knew for sure that the situation had truly taken a turn darker than the black of the halls that always greeted us with every step we took. Just then though, I turned back to Curt as I heard him speak.

"Look," he said while he stopped in his tracks, causing the rest of us to stop beside him. Even in the shadows, I could see the grave tone his eyes carried, making any smile, no matter how small, flee from me. "We're just gonna have to do like Mom said okay?"

Both Parker and I nodded, when I suddenly, and inexplicably, recalled another issue that had begun to plague me earlier that day. Apparently the similarity of the situation made it rise up in my mind again, and it was going to stay there until I brought it up.

"Curt?" I said, trying to keep all worry out of my voice, "I know you were planning on leaving in a few weeks but, if this happens, promise me you won't leave us."

I saw Curt try to smile, but all he could do was let out a small sigh, put another hand on my shoulder, and look me directly in my hazel eyes with his own grey ones as he replied, "I promise, Helena."

Despite his own inability to do so, a small smile crept back up onto my lips. Soon though, we found ourselves again walking through the house to our rooms, and I realized I was beginning to feel thankful for the surrounding darkness, because my brothers wouldn't see my thoughts transfer to my face. I first began to wonder what Dad was going to say if he hadn't stopped himself, what this possible invasion had anything to do personally with him. Had he done something in the past to incur the wrath of the Covenant against him? And did I not know about it? I wondered if Curt would keep his promise. And above all, it still didn't make any sense to me why the Covenant would target Reach in the first place, no matter how much of my education I tried to put to use. Although they'd attacked other colony planets, Reach always seemed untouchable, until now at least. All I knew for sure, based on what I just heard, was that something heavy, dark, and sinister was about to unravel. And, let's just say, I still wish I was wrong about that.

* * *

_Reviews would be appreciated._

_P.S.: If you're wondering how she can be a Spartan and stealth soldier at the same time, check out the art posted at my DeviantArt page, "LadyInTheMask710."_


	2. File 2

**The Secret Files of Spartan-234**

File 2

I wish I could say I remembered clearly the exact events that took place during the following weeks, but the things I remember most were the stress, fear, and near confusion associated with it all. I can say with certainty that the game of flag mentioned in the previous file was the very last one I ever played. I only say so now because it's the only appropriate time. In fact, I barely even saw Ashleigh, Dana, Brian, and Luke after that day, and never met them again after Reach was invaded. I can only wonder how, and if, they met their fates when New Alexandria was attacked. But on that, I can only speculate. As for me and my family, my brothers and I were told about ONI's reports the morning after our daring eavesdropping, and whether Mom and Dad knew about it, neither of them made it known. What all of us knew for sure though, was that there were hard days coming.

Less than a week after we heard about ONI's messages, the school that Curt, Parker, and I attended announced that they were closing for the time being, and advised all students to remain safe at home with their families. The same announcement must have been sent out to the workplaces, because we barely saw anyone on the streets in the days following, that is, when we looked through the blinds on the windows. It was as if the city itself went into complete lockdown. There were even rumors that a team of Spartans would be sent. A team of UNSC super soldiers whose combat senses far exceeded those of a normal marine. At the time though, I didn't pay much attention to it. Not only did I miss the familiar faces and comfort of my friends, but I missed even more the simple act of getting outside to get air that wasn't stuffy and still all the time. I've never been an indoors girl by any means in case you didn't already know.

But none of that mattered when the city really did go into lockdown on July 25, two days after we heard that a small Covenant force had landed in the city of Visegrád. Dad ordered all of us down into the basement, where he kept all of his old, and new, UNSC tech, as well as supplies he'd managed to stock. I never liked going down there, not because it was dark, but because it was claustrophobic. Still, it was the only safe place against expected attack from the Covenant, and in all honesty, the small space soon didn't bother me that much. I was with all the people I loved, sitting with them around the computer awaiting any news regarding New Alexandria. I still remember the way Mom held me close to her side, how safe I felt, and how I would long for it in the years to come. I remember how we tried to keep each other's spirits up in any way we could, telling jokes, sharing weird dreams we had, and so forth. If I had to choose any favorite memories from my childhood, all those days spent under the house with my parents and brothers would be at or near the top of the list. I couldn't contemplate having anything happen to any of them. But even after weeks spent in the basement, little did I know that my worst nightmares would eventually come true.

It was early in the morning on August 18. We were all asleep, lying on the floor in our sleeping bags, except for Dad. By now he and Mom had been taking turns during the night to listen for messages while the rest of us slept, but now I felt him shake me slightly until I opened my eyes, and I could hear the clear sense of urgency in his voice as he exclaimed, "Get up! Hurry, everybody get up!"

"Huh?" I then heard Parker tiredly ask, "What's up Dad?" As soon as I had clear view of my surroundings, I immediately wondered, of all things, what time it was. I raised myself up on my elbows, and scanned with my eyes until I found the clock on the desk near me, the bright-red numbers almost popping at me.

"It's 4:22 in the morning," I sighed as I rubbed my right eye followed by my left. And then, like a near idiot concerning the situation, I asked, "Is there an emergency?"

"I'm sorry to say," Dad replied, ignoring the obviousness of my question. I looked up and widened my now fully awake eyes to see that both he and Mom were clad like UNSC soldiers, wearing both armor and helmets. While I knew that they were once under their service, something about actually seeing my fifty-year-old parents in their former glory seemed almost surreal to me. But I had little time to actually take it in.

Dad, who was leaning over the computer, using his finger to go through the holographic slides, continued with words that made my eyes widen even more with the fear that suddenly seized me. "The Covenant is coming. UNSC has just sent orders to evacuate. Now hurry kids, all of you!"

None of us argued as we all did as he said, scrambling out of our sleeping bags. But to tell the whole truth, I should say I held back a laugh when I saw Parker trip and fall to the floor.

"Did they say where we should go?" Curt asked.

"We have to go to Traxus Tower," Mom replied as she tightened her gloves, "Luckily it's not far from here." I knew that tower, had even been to it a few times. It was an office building for Traxus Heavy Industries and stood next to a cargo port, making it an ideal place to evacuate New Alexandria's citizens. The real question though, was whether UNSC could evacuate all of us at the same time.

My thoughts were interrupted though when Mom shoved a jacket into my hands, and then another into Parker's. "Quick, put on your jackets," she urged us, "There's no time to change."

I was just as happy that there wasn't, because I was not at all comfortable changing in front of my male relatives. Very quickly, I pushed my arms through the sleeves and zipped up the front before putting on some shoes as well. It wasn't until then that I noticed that Dad was handing out, to my surprise, weapons. He and Mom already had assault rifles in their arms, and now Dad was giving two more to Curt and Parker. "Here," he said, "You'll need these."

After them, he stepped in front of me, and instead of a rifle, he handed me a pair of magnums. I widened my eyes at the notion of my dad trusting me with not one but two weapons in this critical time, but he broke my chance when he insisted, "You too Helena."

Knowing I couldn't disobey him, I quickly took the guns, when I suddenly heard Mom say, "But, Troy she's only twelve."

I became frustrated, most likely against my better judgment, because I replied, "Mom, I'm fine. I know how to use these."

She said nothing else, nor could I see her reaction, because the next few minutes were spent making sure our weapons were ready and loaded. Just then though, Parker asked a question I didn't realize until then was on my mind. "Do you think we'll ever come back?"

I immediately looked up at him as soon as I heard him, and found that he shared the same look I had on my own face. One of concerned fear. I then looked where he was, at our parents, who at first didn't seem to know what to say. In fact, I don't think anyone did, at least until Mom sighed and said, "Parker, honey, we don't know." She then turned her attention to all three of us, and added with the most serious of tones, "Look, all we know is that UNSC ordered us all to escape. And that's exactly what we're going to do."

After a moment of near pure silence followed, Dad promptly showed his agreement by nodding. "Your mother's right," he said. He too then looked at all of us with his most solemn face and asked, "Is she?"

Like troops under a general's command, we all nodded and replied in unison, "Sir, yes sir!"

"Alright then," Dad nodded again. He then nodded toward the staircase and ordered, "Let's move!"

My mom, brothers, and I then rushed to the stairs along with Dad, until he cut in front of us and stopped us. "I'll go first," he said. We all nodded and let him go in front of us, with Mom, Curt, Parker, and then me following. With weapons in hand, we hurried through the house, with me looking quickly around it as if seeing it for the first time, even though it was dark. I knew very well that I might never see the place I grew up in ever again. Before I knew it though, we'd reached the back door, and Dad was hurrying all of us through until we were all outside in the cool, and very unsettling air of the early dawn. Even before I saw the various shadows and lights of ships heading toward the inner city, where I saw lights being turned on and heard distant shouts of both command and fright, my heart began to pound at the thought of walking straight into the heart of war territory.

Suddenly though, I felt Parker grab my wrist, and soon found myself running through the dead dark, where not even the streetlights were on, along with the rest of my family. None of us spoke, only panted, as we rushed as fast as we could down the road toward the city. I was immediately thankful that I'd gone to the school I did, because I could actually keep up with my parents and brothers. And although I usually resented trailing at the back of the line just for being the youngest, I did not this time, because I could look around in order to catch any potential threats anyone else may have missed. What I remember most about those next few tense minutes though, was that we soon began joining several families like us. Old people and young people, men and women, most carrying guns, but some of them were carrying small children, half of which I saw and heard crying. The sight was enough to make tears leap into my own throat, and they probably would have escaped were it not for what happened next.

Just as we were only a few yards from the city, my family and I were all instantly taken aback when we saw what might as well have been a bomb explode in front us. I moved my hands in front of me and let out a cry of alarm, and looked up to see that we had been fired at by what appeared to be a Covenant ship. I had never seen one in person, but doing so filled me with a terror I had never felt before.

"Hurry kids!" I heard Dad yell. Parker took me by the wrist again, and we, as well as the people around us, all began sprinting together rather than running toward the entrance to the city, where, by now, I was seeing explosions similar to the one I'd just witnessed, and hearing not just screams and shouts but also gunfire. If I had not felt like I might be walking into a fiery pit of danger and destruction, I certainly felt like it now.

After managing to avoid two more exploding hits at us, in what I only remember to be a blur of furious activity, we were met by UNSC soldiers who'd apparently been stationed at the city entrance to get us safely inside. I heard them shout "Go!" and felt them push us in with each person, until we came across another group of soldiers who explained that they were going to escort us. They quickly numbered us all counting me and my family at about two dozen and then shouted for us to follow them through what they said was the safest route to the tower. But even though they said so, it didn't feel terribly safe to me.

For the next dozen yards as we hurried through the city, my feet stayed on the path my family went on, but my eyes and ears were looking at and hearing from all directions. Though it didn't seem to me from the outside, on the inside, the city already looked very war-torn and ruined. I remember seeing and hearing even more brilliant and louder explosions than before, both from Covenant ships and from grenades that went off on the ground. I saw that at least one of every five buildings was ablaze, along with soldiers running back and forth, shouting commands and firing their guns. I even caught my first glimpses of Covenant soldiers. While, like the ships, I hadn't ever seen any in person, I recognized most of them to be grunts, aliens about four-and-a-half feet tall and somewhat cowardly in nature, and some of them appeared to be elites, much taller, almost anthropomorphic-lizard-like creatures, often deadly on the battlefield.

But the sounds that filled ears the most were the cries and screams of ordinary civilians, both those near me, and those far away. And the sight that I remember most was my brother Parker turning around as he ran, making sure I was still behind him and okay. For all his wise-cracking nature and such, I knew then, if I didn't know before, that even if he eventually decided not to, my brother Parker would make as good a soldier as my brother Curt.

Soon though, all my attention turned toward the situation at hand, because the soldiers leading us decided it would be best if we split up into three groups. My family and I went with two more men and another woman along with the three soldiers charged with keeping us safe. And for a moment, as we headed deeper into the denizens of the city-turned-battlefield, I had the faintest feeling that we might possibly get to Traxus Tower unscathed. If only my feelings had proved right this time rather than wrong.

After turning a corner, all of us, even the soldiers stopped as we heard the sound of something large and heavy falling from the sky to the hard ground near us below. I only caught a fleeting glimpse of it before it crash landed in a great explosion, making me, my family, and the other three adults quickly scramble back. As for the soldiers, all I heard were cries of shock and pain, and the next time I looked up, I saw that a shot down Covenant ship had landed on the soldiers meant to take us to the tower were now under it, and dead. I can't remember another time before that when I saw death plain in my then wide-eyed, stunned-beyond-belief face, but I had little to no time to think further on it.

"Come on, this way, hurry!" I suddenly heard my dad yell. And right then, we were on the move again, and without the safety of UNSC soldiers guiding us. Then again, we were likely in good hands anyway, because not only were my mom and dad former UNSC soldiers themselves, but I assumed the other three people with us to be also, seeing as they too had weapons in their hands. Together, we all hurried through as many alleyways as we could, with my my parents at the lead. Before long, seeing them at the helm remarkably made me feel even more safe than before. In fact, I can't recall another moment where I felt prouder both of them, and the fact that I was their daughter. Still, any positive feelings I had were soon promptly swept away.

After making our way past a particularly violent scene involving mixed human and alien blood into probably the twelfth alleyway we came across, Mom immediately held up her hand. "Let's stop," she said, "We can rest for a moment and then go on our way."

"Good idea," the other woman with us nodded. She then pointed her rifle behind the rest of us, while Curt, Parker, and I quickly sat on the ground to finally catch our breath. I was beginning to wonder if we might ever make it out of this nightmare-come-to-life, but, to my eventual horror, this was only the beginning of memories that would plague so many nights to come.

Before even a minute passed, we all turned our heads when we heard a man shout at the other end of the alleyway. Just then, we heard running footsteps, followed by the same man shouting out my dad's name. "Troy!"

"Vince!" Dad shouted back. I watched while he reunited with a man I didn't recognize at first, until I remembered that he was an old friend of my dad's, and had visited us about a month ago before we heard about ONI's message. I also remembered that while my dad had decided to retire from military service in favor of raising a family, Vince had continued his own service, even though he wasn't much younger than Dad. But what was he doing here now?

"Troy, thank goodness you and Lenore are here!" Vince said almost breathlessly, "You guys alright?"

"For the time being, yes," Dad nodded, "Look, we're trying to get to Traxus Tower. Are we at all close by any chance?"

"Well, considering what's happening all around us, I can't say for sure," Vince replied. Suddenly, he donned a very solemn look, as if trying to choose his words carefully, before he spoke again to my dad. "Listen, I'm sorry to interrupt but, my men and I are in a bit of a skirmish not far from here, and I was sent to find more help." Looking straight at my dad, he continued. "Look, it would mean a lot if you could back us up, considering you and Lenore's experience." He then turned toward the other three people with us, and added, "And yours too, I'm sure."

I almost couldn't believe what I was hearing. While no one looked at me, I couldn't help but watch helplessly from where I sat as I heard Vince practically ask my dad, mom, and the other three people with us to help him combat Covenant soldiers. While I did not doubt the capabilities of any of them, I also knew, based on what I'd just seen and learned, that the Covenant were far from merciful on the battlefield, and clearly outnumbered and out-experienced the Insurrectionists my parents faced in the past. Not only that, but even if we were close to the tower, if it were only me and my brothers, we would certainly be vulnerable to attack, no matter where we fled. As these and many more thoughts flew through my mind at a violent speed, I continued to watch with an open mouth and a rapidly beating heart while my dad and Vince continued to speak.

"Vince, I don't know. I can't just leave everyone," Dad replied, almost in as much disbelief as I felt.

"I know," Vince nodded, "But this is a small unit. And if we don't take them out now it'll only get bigger and bigger. And if it gets bigger, they might join with other units and even block the remaining ways to the tower."

His face heavy with conflict over what he should do, Dad looked first at Vince, and then at us. I could only guess what was going through his mind, and I had the most dreadful feeling that things were about to take a turn for the worse.

"Look, I'm sorry but, we don't have much time," Vince urged him. I continued to look at Dad, wondering wildly what he was going to say and do. Before long, I watched as he turned to my mom, who, I now noticed, seemed to be as conflicted as, if not even more, than he was.

"Lenore?" he asked.

"Troy, I…" Mom trailed off as she slightly shook her head. She looked toward us, and I saw a glimpse of tears forming in her eyes, making my own throat feel heavy. She then turned back to Dad and, to my heart-sinking dismay, she nodded, and I immediately knew that she and the rest of the adults had made their decision.

Fortunately, I wasn't the only one knee-deep in shock. After Dad motioned for me and my brothers to stand up, I looked and saw the fear and concern that adorned their faces as much as they adorned mine. I then watched as Dad put his hands on Curt's shoulders, and spoke to him as seriously as he could.

"Curt, listen to me. No matter what, I want you to get your brother and sister safely to the tower. Their lives depend on you now."

"Wha-, Dad, we can't just split up!" Curt objected almost angrily.

"Son!" Dad interrupted him, "You're a soldier now! And soldiers protect and serve no matter the cost."

Suddenly, despite his previous solemnity of face and tone of voice, Dad looked and spoke more softly as he said, "And if we can, we'll meet again at Traxus."

For a moment, Curt remained hesitant to speak at all. But the explosion of a grenade that went off near us must have urged him to do so anyway, because he then embraced Dad the hardest I ever saw him do so, and said as calmly as he could, "Okay. I'll do my best Dad, I promise."

Curt, Parker, and I then spent the next few quick minutes hugging our parents, saying our final goodbyes and "I love you" as many times as we could. By now, my heart was threatening to beat out of my chest, and despite my previous attempts to hold them back, tears were streaming down my face. The very real possibility of losing my parents before I was emotionally ready to do so tugged so hardly at the strings of my heart that they threatened to break.

Before they left though, I found that I had to speak my own objections. I had to let them know. "But Mom, Dad!" I said, trying to keep more tears from seeping through my eyes, "You can't go!"

Dad then leaned forward and put his hands on my shoulders, which, for all I knew, would be the last time he ever touched me. He then looked at me, followed by Parker and Curt, straight in the eyes. And if I didn't know any better, this was probably the saddest look I'd ever seen him give us in my life.

"Helena, boys, listen," he said, "No matter what your mother and I have done, we've done for you, because we love you."

My mouth opened, but no words came out to counter that statement. Not knowing what to say, I turned to Mom, her face still wet with tears, but she only nodded at me and my brothers and said, "Your father is right. We love you all!"

We nodded back, when suddenly, Vince nodded in the opposite direction and said, "Right, come on. We need to go."

Parker gently took hold of my wrist, and my brothers and I could only watch with feelings of sadness beyond description as we watched both the three adults, as well as our own mother and father, turn to join Vince, weapons firmly in hand. I didn't see, but even now I can assume that Curt and Parker, as well as I, didn't look away in those last few minutes we saw our parents, minutes that seemed almost to pass in slow-motion, until, at last, they finally left our sights, leaving us with only each other in that alleyway, alone.

Still, it took me a while before I finally regained control of my head, and turned toward Parker and then Curt to see what he had to say. If there had been any sadness in his face before, Curt swiftly put it aside, replacing it with the sheer determination of the soldier he'd just become.

"Okay," he said as he held up his rifle, "It's just us now. We're gonna do this."

"Right," Parker nodded as he too held up his rifle. I nodded as well, without any word, but kept both magnums firm in my hands, and my great uneasiness to myself.

"Alright," Curt replied. He then turned and hastened to the entrance to the alleyway. We followed him until gave the signal for me and Parker to stop while he looked out in both directions.

"Wait till I say go," he said quietly. I bit my lip. But even though I had just said farewell to my mom and dad, I still had comfort, even if it was small, that Curt was keeping to his promise he made to me about a month ago. If there was anyone who could lead us through this crisis, it was him.

"Go!" he suddenly shouted. And as fast as a lightning bolt, Parker grabbed my wrist and we headed out once again into the heat of battle, running as fast as we could, both to keep up with one another and to escape the explosions and gunfire that continually threatened to overtake us.

"Follow me! Keep watch! Shoot if you need to!" Curt yelled above all the other sounds we heard. While I did hear him, and couldn't help but watch as he and Parker shot at any alien soldier that came our way, like before, the only sounds that really resonated with me as we traveled deeper through the now burning city, were the screams and cries of both UNSC soldiers and civilians. All of them, no matter how loud, now seemed to echo the cries of my own inner state, which I found almost constantly needed to be under my control. While I still hoped we would be reunited with my parents, I also knew that I had to be prepared to mourn for them if not. No matter what was going through my mind though, the most prevalent thought was that I had to make it through the city and to the tower with my brothers, alive, and intact if possible.

A while later though, we were met from behind by more gunfire than we had ever come across that night, gunfire which seemed to be made of lasers rather than bullets. Fortunately, I wasn't the only one who quickly caught on to the very real threat we were facing.

"Curt!" Parker shouted, "I think we're being followed!" Despite my fear, curiosity urged me to look back, and my eyes became as wide as saucers when I saw the fiery eyes of three armored elites intent on hunting us down like common prey, making me quickly turn back around. We turned a corner, and then another, sharper one, toward what looked like an office building, or rather what was left of it.

"Quick!" Curt ordered, "Over here!" We all then followed him the fastest we could toward the ruined building. Although the upper half was virtually gone, with the rubble surrounding almost all the area near the entrance, the lower half seemed still steady enough for us to hide in it for a while. Without any of us looking back, including me, we all rushed past the glass doors that somehow still remained intact, and took a hiding spot in a corner near the entrance, large enough to hide us thankfully. Fortunately, or unfortunately, the rest of the building, as far as we knew, was empty. And if I didn't know any better, there were probably even more Covenant soldiers out there, looking and waiting for us.

By now, my heart was beating nervously as well as excitedly, leading me to ask, "Do you think they saw us? What's going on?"

"I don't know," Curt replied, "But be quiet!" I instantly obeyed him, along with Parker, and let him scan the area for the elites.

"Oh man!" he then exclaimed softly. Curt spun around to face us, his eyes clearly alarmed while the rest of his face remained serious. "I think they're coming!" he explained quickly, making my eyes instantly widen in as much alarm as his own did.

"Well what do we do?" Parker asked before I could. None of us spoke, but I could tell we were all thinking the same thing. If we didn't find a way out other than the only one currently available to us, and soon, we could very well be facing our ends.

"Wait," Parker suddenly spoke up, "There's an open vent over there!" He pointed behind us to a few feet away, where, sure enough, there was a square shaped entrance where the wall connected to the floor to a tunnel beyond, with the metal covering having either fallen off or been blown off recently. Wasting no time, we all hurried over to it, eager to see if any of us would be able to fit through. But as we quickly examined it, the very small smile that managed to sneak onto my face slowly began to fade as I saw first Curt, and then Parker, frown and shake their heads in dismay.

"This isn't good," Curt concluded.

"No way this isn't," Parker agreed.

Immediately my heart began to pound against my chest again. "What?" I asked, trying to keep the ever-rising apprehension out of my voice, "What is it?"

Curt quickly walked back to me, and laid his hands on my shoulders in a way that instantly reminded me of Dad. My throat felt heavy again, but I firmly held back the tears, knowing that now was not the appropriate time. Instead, I listened, no matter how hesitant I was, to my brother.

"Helena, I know this may sound crazy," he said, looking as though he was trying hard to remain calm, "But, you're the only one small enough to fit in the vent."

If I had a hard time believing what I heard from dad before, hearing these words from Curt made me wish I was momentarily deaf. My heart fell like a meteor would to the ground, and I felt as though I might even fall to pieces. Though I knew he didn't say it outright, Curt was basically telling me that from here on, I would have to go it alone, to face bloodthirsty Covenant soldiers, without anyone to accompany me. So many thoughts ran through my head at such an impossible speed to measure that I didn't know where to begin. What I did know, though, was that considering what had just happened and what I had experienced so far, I wasn't going to allow history to repeat itself too soon.

"Wha-, no!" I nearly shouted, "Curt, I don't want to go by myself!"

"Helena," Parker suddenly spoke up, "you can probably get to the tower from here."

"But what about you?!" I asked almost hysterically.

"We'll take care of ourselves," Parker insisted. He then looked at me with a face lacking his usual humor, instead looking almost somber, and let out a sad and disappointed sigh, his eyes never blinking once the entire time he did so. "Besides," he added, "this is war."

"That's right," Curt then said, causing me to look at him. Though I saw no tears in his eyes, I could tell he was as despondent about this as I was. "I know we've already experienced a lot," he went on, "but in war, sometimes, you have to make great sacrifices."

So trenched in disbelief I was, that time itself seemed to halt for a moment. I truly was being sent away from all my family, into the most uncertain future I ever faced. My mouth came open, but before I could say any words, first Curt, then Parker hugged me. None of us cried, including me, but that didn't subtract from the sheer gravity of the sadness I knew all of us felt. Unfortunately, we couldn't stay this way for long, because we soon heard gunfire similar to earlier near the entrance.

"Oh man," Curt said as he let go of me and reached for his rifle, "They'll be here soon. Helena, move out!"

Despite our previous conversation, I was still reluctant, still attempting to hold on to any familiarity I had left. "Curt, Parker, I can't…"

"Go! Go!" Parker interrupted me as he began pushing me toward the vent. In that moment, any hope of them coming with me immediately vanished like vapor. Yet I somehow managed to get down on all fours. With my magnums still in my hands, I began to crawl hastily inside the tunnel I immediately found to be murky and stuffy. Only darkness, both literal and figurative, seemed to await me.

It wasn't long after I turned the first corner though, that my ears, against my wishes, heard the sound of gunfire entering the building. The ground began shaking, making me stop and cover my head for a moment. And before long, I also began to hear shouting, both from the Elites, and from my brothers. I badly wanted to turn around and go back, to help in any way I possibly could, but both the small size of the tunnel, and the need to obey probably the last wishes of Curt and Parker, didn't allow me. Instead, reluctantly, I took a deep breath, pressed my lips together, and crawled forward again.

I don't know how long I stayed in there, but I continued to make my way through, turning corners, and forcing myself to ignore both the shaky ground and the shouting. Before long, I began to wonder if I would even meet my end, if not by gunfire or a grenade, then certainly by suffocation. Fortunately, that only motivated me to go faster, until I finally saw what appeared to be bright light glinting off the metal covering of an exit. Thinking I might not be far from the outside, I inched along, my eyes widened with anticipation. As soon as I made it to the end I looked through the bars to see what was out there, and, to my surprise, saw only grass stretching in the distance. Still, it was different than what I'd seen earlier, so I decided to go for it. I lifted up my magnums and fired four shots from each, and raised my eyebrows when I believed I damaged it enough. I then hit at it with the tops of the guns, and the covering immediately fell, allowing me to grit my teeth and make my way through the opening.

After getting back on my feet, I quickly looked around, and immediately realized that, although I was outside, I didn't know where. _Where do I go?!_ I silently asked, _Where's the tower?!_ Soon though, an explosion from a grenade a few yards away urged me to move, and fast. Without looking back, I took off as fast as I could. Even though I didn't know exactly how to get to the tower from where I was, I knew I could never stay in one place for long. Therefore, I kept moving, not stopping even once. At least, until I reached the top of a hill a few yards from where I crawled out.

Hesitant, yet curious, I turned to get a final look at my native city. And what I saw quickly met up with my expectations. My heart pounded with each passing second as I saw the city of Alexandria become a virtual warzone. The fires looked even more massive when I looked at them from the outside, some of the flames nearly reached to the still dark sky, and I could still hear the sounds of both gunfire going off and screaming soldiers and civilians. In the distance, I saw soldiers running past others who had been gunned down. And though I don't remember details, I'll always remember the way their blood seemed to spill into the lakes and rivers, mixing red and black in a nefarious combination. I wondered if any of my family and friends had managed to escape the carnage, and if there was even the faintest chance of me ever seeing one of them again.

But before I could be hypnotized by what I was witnessing, I pulled myself back into the reality I was facing, and turned back around before running off again. I hurried down the hill, and across the field, looking for any sign of the tower. But though I would have liked to have kept going unopposed, I regret to say that wasn't the case. I barely made it across the field when I was suddenly tackled from behind, making me fall to the hard ground. I felt a hand grab my ankle, and imagine my shock when I turned to see that I'd been caught by a grunt.

"Hey!" he shouted in English, "I got a live one here!"

At first, I was fearful. Yet, considering what I'd recently experienced, I instantly became angry. Though I wasn't a soldier in a formal term, I knew in that moment that if there was one thing I wasn't about to let happen, it was letting this Covenant soldier get away with attacking both me and my city. Desperately thinking of a way to get him off me, I quickly remembered that I had weapons in my hands, and one of my legs was free. Now seemed like the appropriate time for those military lessons to pay off.

"Let me go!" I shouted as I promptly kicked him in the face. His grasp slipped from my ankle, but I wasn't done. I quickly brought my magnums forward, I grit my teeth and delivered two shots to the head. Not wishing to see the resulting carnage and wanting to flee as fast as I could, I hastily got back on my feet and hurried forward again, my eyes firmly locked on the path ahead of me, even if it only seemed to be miles and miles of grass with no end in sight.

Even so, I continued to run, to sprint even, and to look for any glimpse of a tower-like structure. By now, I would have welcomed anything. Yet nothing graced my sight. It seemed that all the taller buildings had been destroyed. My pulse seemed to pound all over my body, my arms and legs even started to burn, sweat trickled down my face, but I didn't stop. I called out for help, even though it didn't look like there was going to be anyone in sight anytime soon, but I couldn't stamp out the urge to try. The longer I ran and the more I shouted though, the more I began to lose hope of any possible rescue. In fact, I probably would have given up and stopped running altogether, were it not for the next sites that greeted me a while after my encounter with the grunt.

To my wide-eyed surprise and elation, I saw three pelican ships that looked like they were about to take off. Seizing my chance like my life depended on it, I began waving both my arms wildly and nearly sobbed as I started shouting at the top of my lungs, "HELP! WAIT! WAIT!" I'm sure I must have been a bit of a stunning sight to them, a twelve-year-old girl wearing nothing but her pj's and a jacket, holding a magnum in both my hands, and probably adorned with spots of blood, running with her last ounce of strength toward them.

But they must not have cared, because I remember hearing the man standing in the middle of the one in the center shout, "Hey, hold up! There's a kid out there!"

Joyous with relief, I hurried toward that pelican, but all three of them began moving before I reached them. Still, I wasn't about to give up. I ran even faster despite my protesting body, keeping my eyes focused on the man who had noticed me.

It appeared he wasn't about to give up either, because he reached out his hand and ordered me to take it. Immediately, I did as I was told, glad beyond belief that I was holding a human hand again. Unfortunately though, not everyone was willing to give me the same support.

"We've gotta go!" I heard the pilot shout, "Either she jumps or she falls!"

I then turned back to the man whose hand I was holding onto, to see what he would say, and was relieved but at the same time startled when I saw his alarmed face meet mine. "Kid, listen to me!" he said loudly, "On the count of three, I want you to jump into the ship, understand?"

I nodded the best I could, and bit my lip hard as he began counting, knowing if I missed this jump, I might very well die. "Okay. One, two, th–"

Right as he was saying three, as if out of nowhere, there came an enormous explosion bigger than any I had ever seen or experienced that night. It happened so fast that I didn't have time to react to it, but I do remember my hand being yanked from the soldier's and being launched into the air. Time once again seemed to slow as I also felt a large pain in my left side and in my head. My ears were filled with the sound of probably loudest bang I'd ever heard in my life. And before I knew it, I felt myself hitting the ground again and again repeatedly as I fell down what seemed to be the steepest hill ever, before I finally came to a stop and was left with only my wild wonderings at what just happened.

I was still alive though, as I could still feel the pain ripple through my body, and was very thankful for that. But my stomach was heaving, my vision was blurring, and as I watched the pelican ships fly off in the distance, I wondered if I might very well die right where I lay. I had just lost my family, and my city, and now it seemed I would lose my life. I struggled to regain my breath, to cry out one more time for help, but only a cough escaped my lips before I finally lost the will to stay awake, and closed my eyes.

Before I slipped completely into unconsciousness though, I remember hearing two voices unlike any I had ever heard of. Both sounded deep, harsh, and brooding. But I was too exhausted from the near endless hours of trying to survive to even attempt to open my eyes to see who it was. Instead, with my sense of hearing miraculously still intact, I listened to these few words before I fell into a dark yet welcoming world.

"It's no good. She isn't dead. You suppose we should finish the job?"

"No. I have a better idea…"

* * *

_Reviews would be appreciated._


	3. File 3

**The Secret Files of Spartan-234**

File 3

I don't know how long I stayed asleep. I don't remember what I dreamed, or if I dreamed at all. But even before I fully came around, I knew something wasn't right. My eyes remained closed, but I felt like I was lying on something, something cold and hard with no pillow underneath my head. I didn't have to open my eyes to figure out I was in the wrong place, but I slowly began to do so anyway. It was hard at first, but I eventually saw the dull color of metal and fading yellow paint, along with dim lights mixed with shadows. I then noticed a series of metal bars, and as soon as I put two and two together, I no longer had any difficulty opening my eyes, because they opened almost automatically and spontaneously in alarm.

Once I was fully awake, I realized immediately that I was lying on a metal floor. I raised my head up slowly but steadily, and then did the same with my body, both because I was still somewhat tired, and felt a pain in my side that I quickly recognized. Looking down, I saw that I was still in my pj's, but my jacket was gone, and my shirt was halfway unbuttoned from the middle down. To my further disbelief, I saw what appeared to be fresh red stains on the bottom of my shirt and the top of my pants. And it didn't take me long to notice the bandages underneath my shirt. Apparently, as I thought, I had been injured in that last blast, and someone was kind enough to patch me up.

But from what I came to realize as soon as I got a good look at my surroundings, these weren't the kind of people I'd expected to treat me as such. My eyes had to slowly get used to the dim light, but as soon as I saw those metal bars again, along with the other three closed off walls, I knew I was in a prison cell. Perhaps in frightened reaction, an idea emerged in my mind. Though I knew it would be futile, I ended up not caring. As soon as I made it to my feet, I rushed over to the bars and began jolting them as hard as I could. Of course, nothing happened. Unless I had a really powerful weapon, I wouldn't be getting out without outside help. I turned around and scanned my cell, but I saw nothing that could help me, not even my magnums, which had obviously been taken from me.

Still, I turned back around, and decided I might as well try to get a look outside. Straining my eyes as far as I could, since I couldn't put my head in between any of the bars, I saw that beyond my cell stood only a long, dimly lit hallway, and on either side stood cells like mine, only they were empty. And knowing I wasn't getting out any time soon, I decided I might as well pass the time trying to figure out who found me. Obviously, it wasn't UNSC, because they wouldn't put a kid like me in a prison cell. Could it have been an alien race more benevolent than the Covenant? No, impossible. The Covenant were the only alien forces in the area at the time. So slowly, to my heart-sinking dismay which literally sent me to my knees, I concluded that the only possible persons to have found me were the Covenant themselves.

But even then it didn't seem to make sense. If it was the Covenant who captured me, why did they bandage my wounds. Why did they allow me to live at all? Soon though, all this thinking seemed to be too much for my head, because I suddenly felt dizzy. Sitting back down on the floor, I put my hands to my head, and discovered that it too had been bandaged. Now nothing seemed to make sense at all. I wished I could turn my brain off as simply as I could turn off a light, but to my disappointment, my thoughts continued to spread, until I suddenly heard the sound of a door being opened at the end of the hall, making me look up in a mere second.

I heard a series of footsteps, probably from multiple people, or whatever they were. And it wasn't long before I heard voices too.

"What are we doing here?" one asked in a frustrated tone.

"This is what I wanted to show you," another replied. As soon as I heard that voice, my heartbeat quickened rapidly, because I had recognized it. Matching the description in my head, it sent all sorts of shivers up my spine that it soon became a chore to sit up straight. Still, I kept doing so. Despite the pain I'd received from them, both literal and figurative, another, silent voice inside my head told me that now wasn't the time to beg. If anything, I had to at least attempt to stay strong, even if it was more of a chore than sitting up straight.

Clearly, I had my work cut out for me, because my eyes widened in unspoken fear the moment I laid eyes on my captors. Four Elites walked into my view and stopped in front of my cell. My heart was now beating so hard and so fast I feared I'd have a heart-attack. I learned a lot about the Elites, and how merciless they were. But actually sitting so close to not one, but four of them, in spite of all my military training combined, I wished I could just sink into the floor before they could blink.

That was, if they could at all. The eyes that met mine were very fitting for lizard-like beings, orange and concentrated. The rest of each of their appearances was just as frightening. They seemed to tower over me, but even considering that I was always tall for my age, I was nothing less than intimidated. Underneath the silver and gold armor they wore I could see their dark blue and black scaly skin. None of them had a tail, or weapons thankfully, but they all had a pair of enormous feet, and had four fingers on both their oversized hands. And each of their mouths seemed to have four lips – at least, that was what they seemed to me – with teeth that looked far too sharp.

While I was busy trying to take in the sites of all four of my Elite captors, I do remember them talking, and the reactions of two of them once they saw me.

"Looks like she's awake," one of them said almost casually while two of his comrades stared wide-eyed and open-mouthed at me as if they'd seen a monster or something, in this case, me.

"What, dare I ask, is this?" one of the clearly dismayed Elites asked.

"This is what I wanted to show you," one of the two calmer ones replied, "We captured her from Reach when we invaded her city."

Though I'm not easily startled, I nevertheless jumped slightly when I saw one Elite slap the one who just spoke hard in the jaw.

"Are you out of your already mad mind?!" he asked, sounding like he was astonished and enraged at once, "Once the Prophets hear of this, they'll skin you alive and have your entrails burned!"

I tensed at hearing him say so, and tried to banish the ghastly image from my imagination to listen to the rest.

"Under normal circumstances, they would," the one who captured me agreed, "But, as I observed her on the field just outside the city, I had never seen such perseverance, such a determination to survive. To see it in a human soldier is one thing, but to see it so blatantly in her, a mere 'girl' as I believe they are called, perhaps there is a way we could use her skills for our cause."

"That decision will lie with the Prophets," the one he was speaking to said, "I doubt either they or the Council will be pleased with your decision to abduct this creature."

"Not initially," my captor countered, "But once they hear my reasoning, perhaps they will eventually agree to the idea I have in mind."

"I think not," the other sneered, "More likely they will brand both of you as heretics! I would if it were up to me!"

"Listen to your own words," the first one said more calmly, "The final word rests with the Prophets."

"And the Council will begin soon," the one beside him pointed out, "We could very well face our own prison cells if we are missed."

"Of course," his "friend" nodded. But before any of them left, he and the other three turned their unblinking gazes on me, making me tense even more than before. "You are going to stay right where you are. Understand?!"

After searching for my voice yet not finding it, I still managed to nod. I then did as I was told and sat right where I was while three of the Elites turned and walked together back down the hall. But the fourth, whom I now realized had never spoken even once, stayed for beside my cell, and began staring at me somewhat intently. It unnerved me so much that the only thing I was able to do was stare back, and wonder what he could be thinking about me. We kept our gazes on each other for only a short while, before I watched as he finally turned and left to join his companions, once again leaving me alone in the small, cold, dimly-lit metallic room that, as far as I knew, had now become my new home.

I leaned my head against the hard wall, feeling my pulse against my skull. As soon as I noticed my hands were cold, I breathed on them and rubbed them together in an attempt to keep them warm. But there was nothing, and nobody here to give warmth to the rest of my body. Although still alive, I felt like a virtual zombie. I knew what had happened before I was knocked out. I knew that in just a few hours, I'd lost my father, mother, both my brothers, my city, my planet. Yet, for the longest time, it seemed that the rest of my being had to catch up. I don't even remember how I felt after the Elites left. I just remember staring at the wall like I just had a lobotomy, lost in my self-induced state. Blink, blink, blink…

From what I can recall, I remained like that until the next time I was visited by the same four Elites as before, though I wasn't aware until one of them banged his hand against the wall. I jumped slightly as if I'd been jolted awake from a deep sleep, and widened my eyes like before when I saw my visitors. To my surprise, one of them opened the door to my cell, but to my renewed dismay, I saw that that same one was carrying a pair of handcuffs.

"You're coming with us," he said, "The Council, and the Prophets, wish to see you, and you would be wise to comply."

I was unable to speak, but I did have questions. Were the Prophets and their council the Covenant's leaders? If so, why would they want to see me? Probably to give these Elites a chance to offer proof to the story they'd obviously told them. But still, those thoughts, along with the ones I previously had, passed rapidly through my mind as I tried to make even the slightest sense of everything that was happening. Even so, the same Elite punched his fist into the wall again.

"It would also be unwise to keep them waiting," he said, his eyes and voice angrier than before, "On your feet! Move!"

Once again, I did as I was told. I hastily rose to my feet and, reluctantly, rushed over to their side. The Elite behind me then pulled both my hands behind my back and promptly handcuffed them. And before I knew it, I was being led like an animal down the hallway, and then into another I had not seen previously, with glass windows allowing me to see what appeared to be a grim, gray interior of a planet I'd never seen before, and what looked like its center building not too far away. I didn't have much time to wonder though, because an Elite behind me shoved me in the back, making me walk faster.

As we traveled around and through numerous corners and hallways, I found myself wishing I was at least twice my age and a full-fledged Marine. Even without weapons I would have been able to fight them off. Instead, I was pre-teen girl, all alone and at the mercy of her captors, who could at any time choose to let me die. On one hand, that appeared to be a good thing, because I could then join my friends and family who had perished. Yet I also knew that if I died by their hands, I would give the Covenant another victory, another casualty for the human race. Even if I had no family or friends by my side, a silent voice told me that I couldn't simply let myself be sacrificed. My death would only re-enforce the Covenant's notion that humans were weak, which I knew all my life to be the opposite. No, I couldn't give in to circumstance. Even if I was only twelve years old and not a member of any part of UNSC, I made the decision in that moment to show these aliens just what humans were made of. Consequently, my choice made me stand a little bit straighter as I walked.

Eventually though, we finally arrived in what I assumed to be the council room, and apparently the mere sight of me caused everyone in there to gasp in alarm and turn their heads toward me. As the aliens in the long hallway of a room conversed excitedly at what could be going on, I, somewhat nervously, took in the sights of beings I have never seen before. On my left, in stands that slanted from the floor to the wall halfway to the ceiling, sat creatures with either pale or dark leathery looking skin. Their wrinkly necks stretched long and led to large heads, sporting almost bulging eyes and what looked like a hanging earlobe on both sides. They also wore dark colored robes, and seemed to have two hands with three fingers on each. And judging from what I both saw and heard, they were probably the most outraged at seeing me.

On the right, and standing at both the left and right at each section of seats, were more armored Elites, some wearing shining, golden plated armor and holding staffs. Yet I also saw a few of another new kind of creature. They stood even taller, more muscular, and more imposing than the Elites, with faces that looked long and reptilian. And their skin was not only scaly, but also had patches of white fur here and there. Some of them had their arms crossed, others carried large battle axes which could have probably cut in half any opponent. Their large orange eyes stared at me with each step I took. Some of them even chuckled, a low, deep, rumbling sound similar to that of a large beast. Still, I somehow managed to ignore them and tune them out.

Soon, my guides and I made it to the end of the room, and we all stopped before three creatures who looked much like the ones I saw on my left. These, however, clearly carried an air of importance, despite the one on the left being either a hologram or a projected image. They all sat in decorated anti-gravity thrones fitting for their large size, and wore what appeared to be golden crowns on their heads. The one in the middle was dark-skinned and wore a red robe. The one on the right was pale-skinned, looked somewhat older than the rest, and wore a black robe. The one on the left though appeared to be neither pale nor dark, and wore a dark blue robe. But if there was anything about them that was the same as the other, it was the way all of them looked at me, with their large condemning eyes and their clearly unamused frowns.

But in spite of all the scowls I knew were pressing themselves on me, and the utter humiliation I knew I was facing, I remembered that I must not give in to the pressure. I must not give them reason to think they've won something. The three beings I were standing before were the very ones responsible for the invasion of my planet, for the loss of all I once held dear, and if there was anything I wasn't about to do, it was showing them any sign of weakness.

"Kneel," I then heard one of the Elites behind me say. But I didn't. I continued to stand. Just then, I felt his hands grab my shoulders like claws, and heard him say, louder and angrier this time, "I said kneel!" He forced me to my knees, and when he saw I wasn't looking up, he took hold of my hair and pulled my head back, causing a groan to escape my lips. The three creatures still frowned, but I could tell they were getting an enjoyment out of what they were seeing.

"We've brought the human noble hierarchs, as you all requested," the Elite said, trying to keep a lid on his anger.

The red-robed one in the middle brought his throne forward and raised his hand. "Thank you soldier," he said, his voice cold and calculating, "Release her, but do not let her escape."

The Elite finally let me go, but I didn't have to turn my head to know that he and the other three stood in a line behind me, ready to tackle me should I try to leave. But I didn't. I stayed where I was, with the three "noble hierarchs," as they were called, nearly towering in front of me. Still, I sat straight as they turned their eyes back to me.

"Greetings human female," the one in the middle said, "We are the High Prophets of Truth, Regret, and Mercy, exalted leaders of the Covenant, and heirs to our gods, the Forerunners. You are now standing in our Council Chamber, and have been given the great privilege of speaking to us in person. Tell us, what is your name?"

At first, I said nothing. I wasn't sure whether or not I wanted to respond. It wasn't long though before the one in the center, the Prophet of Truth, asked the Elites behind me, "Can she speak?"

As soon as I heard footsteps behind me, I knew I was in for a punishment. So before they could reach me, I said in a soft but clear voice, "Helena. My name is Helena."

I had decided not to give my last name, since I might otherwise suffer unfavorable consequences. Fortunately, they didn't seem to notice, because the Prophet of Truth then asked, "And, how old are you, Helena?"

"Twelve years old," I replied, wondering why they would want to know that.

"Ah," Truth nodded, "a juvenile from what I know of humans."

_What do you know of humans? _I asked silently in my mind. I managed the slightest smirk, knowing that, for now at least, my thoughts were known only to me. But any trace of it left me as soon as I was addressed by Truth again.

"Child, you are from the planet Reach, is that correct?"

Hearing the name of my home planet, immediately made any sense of humor I might have previously had abandon me. Instead, only the darkness of sadness crept up slowly on me, almost grabbing my heart and making the beat nearly painful to bear. But I wasn't about to let myself cry in front of all these monsters. By doing so I would be landing myself into their merciless hands. Even so, I once again found that my voice had disappeared, so I only nodded in reply to the prophet's question. That was when the Prophet of Mercy spoke.

"Think no more of it," he said, his voice very elderly sounding, "Your world is gone. It was inevitable that your kind pay a heavy price for the grave mistake of setting foot on a Forerunner planet. We only made certain that the price was a costly one, one that not even your super soldier demons could avoid."

With every word that came out of his lips, the grey sadness within me slowly changed color, until it became a bright red anger. I didn't care how many otherwise threatening aliens were in this room with me. How dare this "high and mighty" so-called prophet see himself as a judge not only for me, but my entire race? I could practically feel my blood boil, my heart pound against my chest. I bit my lower lip to keep unwise words forming in my mouth from escaping, but before long, my efforts proved to be in vain. Lowering my head, I asked in an equally low voice, "What did we ever do to you?"

Suddenly, without warning, silence entered into the room. No one chuckled or said a word. In fact, one could probably have heard a pin drop it was so surprising. It remained so for a short while, until the Prophet of Truth asked, "What was that you said?"

I looked up at the three prophets again, their eyes now suspicious and ready to condemn any opposing word that could at any moment escape me. Yet, despite the warnings I'd told myself repeatedly before, along with the alarms that silently went off inside my head, I found I couldn't keep myself silent. As long as I was here, I was going to show the great Alien Covenant that I was far from broken despite the cracks that had been inflicted on me. Whatever needed to be said, now was the time to say it, I determined.

"Why?" I asked, my voice louder and clearer this time, "Do you just get sick, sadistic joy out of killing any human in your way? Is that why you're trying to annihilate us?"

Though I didn't turn my head to see, that was when I began to hear very unsettled voices rising up in the stands behind me, voices of alarm and protest. I believe I heard someone say that my filthy tongue should be branded with the mark of shame, whatever that was. Meanwhile though, I watched as the Prophet of Regret leaned toward Truth, and whispered something at him I couldn't hear. I knew though that whatever they were discussing, it wasn't in my favor.

My theory at first seemed to be true. As soon as they were done talking to each other, Truth once again came forward, and raised his hand, quickly silencing the council which probably would have turned zealous otherwise. He then turned his eyes and grim frown to me and said, "Soldier, please bring our guest to the edge."

One of the Elites behind me immediately did what he was told without question, pulling me to my feet, and then shoving me toward the end of the room behind the prophets. I had little time to wonder what he was going to do, much less protest. I only knew that if things didn't turn around soon, I could be facing my end. With one hand holding the back of my shirt and the other holding my collar, the Elite made me lean forward, and I watched with widened eyes as the walls in front of me slowly came up to reveal the glass behind it, which in turn allowed me to view a foreboding sight similar to what I'd seen earlier.

"Your people represent a grave threat to our Covenant," I heard Truth say behind me, "It was only a matter of time before we dealt with this threat, thoroughly and swiftly. As for you, it would be the simplest thing to allow this soldier behind you to toss you through the glass and let you plummet into the abyss."

Despite my best efforts, as I continued to stare at nothing but the gray, endless cloudlike landscape above and beneath me, as I continued to listen to every word Truth said, I did end up imagining myself being thrown through the window and then falling into that void to meet an unknown end, whether it be falling for the rest of my days until I finally died, or eventually meeting the vacuum of space, where there would be no air for me to breathe and no one to find my destroyed body. Either way, if the prophets did let their soldier throw me out, I would never make another journey except one involving certain death.

I closed my eyes, waiting for that journey to come, ready to join my friends and family. Yet, it never came, instead, the Elite turned me back around to face the prophets, all of which, to my surprise, looked almost kind. Still, my heart pounded harder against my chest the closer the Prophet of Truth came to me, his unblinking brown eyes never leaving mine. He stopped right in front of me, looked directly at me, and said, "But, we're not going to do that."

It was then that I realized my mouth was open. I closed it again, wondering how I suddenly, almost sporadically, had gotten on better terms with these aliens, until I finally asked, "Then, what are you gonna do to me?"

I slowly began to look away, not wanting to show my discomfort at being stared at. But then, I nearly jumped when I felt all three of the prophet's leathery fingers gently take hold of my face, and turn it back to face his own.

"Consider yourself very fortunate human, that the gods have decided to bless us with you," he said, "Based on what we've seen, your records show unusual strength in both body and mind. Rather than waste these gifts, we have decided to put them to good use. You will be trained as a soldier after our very own Elites. You will become a Holy Warrior for the Covenant. You may not be able to join us on our great journey, but you can be of good use to us nonetheless."

While the council members behind them began to show their unrest, I myself began trying to make my way through my own confusion. Why, of all things to do with me, would they decide to train me to be like an Elite? As far as I was concerned, I represented the very thing they hated most, and I was happily returning the favor. They were basically asking me to turn on my own people and fight against them. Where could I possibly say no without facing some sort of punishment? Though these thoughts and more ran wild through my mind, I knew for sure that if it was hard trying to make sense of everything that was happening to me before, now it seemed almost impossible.

Soon though, the Prophet of Mercy called the Council to his attention. "Order!" he said, "The Prophets of Truth, Regret, and Mercy have made their decision, and all who oppose will be branded as heretics! This is our word, and this is our law!" The Council promptly quieted, if reluctantly, and the Prophet of Truth finally let me go, urging me back toward the line of Elites, which I was anything but eager to return to. Still, I slowly walked back to them like a trained animal. But as soon as I was with them again, they turned me around to face the prophets one more time.

"I entrust her instruction in the care of your hands, soldiers," Truth said, "With all of your combat records, I trust that you will groom her into a fine soldier after your ways."

All the Elites bowed their heads deeply in respect. "We thank you all for this noble privilege," the one right behind me said, "We will do nothing but our absolute best."

I, on the other hand, continued to keep my head raised. And with the disturbing thoughts still on my mind, I wasn't quite done with showing the Council that I still wasn't completely wrapped around their finger. "And what about my say?" I asked, once again making all heads turn to me, "What if I refuse?"

This time, the Prophet of Regret addressed me, for the first time if I remember correctly. "Should you refuse," he said, his tone frustrated and lukewarm, "rest assured your punishment will be swift and severe, to serve as an example for all who follow the sacred Covenant."

I had the feeling he would say so. But once he was done, the Prophet of Truth came forward to address me one last time. "You may now lead her away soldiers," he said, "We now give our authority over her to you. May you train her well."

"Thank you, noble hierarchs," all four of the Elites said in unison. Before they led me away though, Truth gave one last word, with a tone of voice that showed the utmost seriousness, as if the Elites would be punished if they refused to listen.

"Above all though, wherever you go, do not let her set foot on any of the Halos. The great journey will begin soon, and we cannot have any of the sacred rings defiled by any human, especially not this one."

"Understood," the leader of the group of Elites said, "We will follow your commands faithfully."

"Very good," Truth said. And with a wave of his hand, he finally said, "You're dismissed." As soon as he said so, I was turned away, and led back down the same hallways in the same manner as I was led through them previously. But now, I had new thoughts on my mind.

Where would they take me? What punishment would I receive if I did resist? And, what were the Halos? All I knew was that Truth had described them as sacred rings, but beyond that, I knew very little. This was the first time I'd heard of such a term. But if they didn't want me to "defile" any of them, as they said, they were likely of great value to them, perhaps relics of their so-called gods. Yet, despite my initial fascination, as I was led further down the halls by the imposing Elites, this information eventually proved to be of little use to me. All I wanted to know now was how I was going to deal with the situation I'd found myself in. The odds were clearly stacked against me, and with the way I currently was, I was at the complete mercy of my prisoners and their prophets. There had to be some way to break their hold over me. But what?

We came back to the familiar, dimly lit hallway, and then soon to my prison cell, where at last my handcuffs were released, and I was promptly placed back inside, once again becoming an object of amusement for them.

"You will remain here until we give you a proper room," the leader of the Elites said to me, "And you will do exactly as we tell you at all times." Without waiting for a response, he, and two of his comrades left my side, leaving me, thankfully, to my own thoughts again. But just as I was beginning to think of a plan, I noticed that the fourth Elite had remained, and was standing right next to me. I became intrigued as I recognized him as the silent one from before, but why was he standing here alone with me?

I didn't receive an answer, but I did receive something else. After staring at him for a long time, with our gazes firmly locked on the other, the Elite leaned toward me. At first, I wanted to scoot away, especially as soon as I saw his sharp teeth. But he didn't bite me as I feared. Instead, he said in a voice only he and I would be able to hear, "You're afraid. Don't be." After which, he stood straight again, and before I could ask him what he meant, he turned and walked back down the hall to join his fellow soldiers.

Why he had spoken to me like that, I didn't know. Eventually though, my need to form a plan pushed that awkward moment out of my mind. Instead, I began to wonder, until a very important question formed. What would Mom or Dad have done in a situation like this? Well, I did know that they, and coaches from my school, always encouraged us to use our skills to the best of our ability. I quickly formed a list of all my unique traits in my mind, wondering which ones I could use to possibly resist these Elites and maybe even return to UNSC. I thought long and hard, until it suddenly hit me like lightning on a clear day. I loved sneaking around and keeping secrets ever since I was little. Maybe, maybe there was a chance I could utilize these traits while I was trained. Perhaps I could eventually take what I learned, and turn it all against my foes. That might be my way out. It would take time and patience, but it was all I had. If there was anything useful I'd learned from both my parents and my school, guns and armor may be useful on the battlefield, but ultimately, the greatest weapon you could ever have was your mind. And if that was true, then I was going to show the Covenant that I was even stronger and smarter than I seemed.

* * *

_Reviews would be appreciated._


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